As a doctor, I am fully in support of hospitals banning smoking on the premises.
There is recent blog in the WSJ about hospitals in New York not only banning smoking, but prohibiting smoking by their employees at all times. If you are a smoker, you will not be hired.
Libertarians, of course, must be in full disagreement. The decision is based on the concept of negative externalities, that is, although one makes a free and supposedly informed choice,the decision can have a negative impact on others (society). The most commonly quantified negative impact is cost. This argument has been used before, such as with helmet laws and seat belts. By limiting injury, morbidity and mortality, helmets and seat belts limit societal cost.
Back to the hospital. Healthcare workers who smoke cost the employer more on insurance premiums, hence the ban.
This is controversial and may lead to a slippery slope. Should obese people not be hired on similar grounds?
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| Photo: WSJ |
Libertarians, of course, must be in full disagreement. The decision is based on the concept of negative externalities, that is, although one makes a free and supposedly informed choice,the decision can have a negative impact on others (society). The most commonly quantified negative impact is cost. This argument has been used before, such as with helmet laws and seat belts. By limiting injury, morbidity and mortality, helmets and seat belts limit societal cost.
Back to the hospital. Healthcare workers who smoke cost the employer more on insurance premiums, hence the ban.
This is controversial and may lead to a slippery slope. Should obese people not be hired on similar grounds?
